MXPA04004682A

MXPA04004682A - Optical glare limiter.

Info

Publication number: MXPA04004682A
Application number: MXPA04004682A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Peter Braun Uwe
Original assignee: Peter Braun Uwe
Priority date: 2001-11-19
Filing date: 2001-11-19
Publication date: 2005-05-17
Also published as: EP1448407B1; US20050083673A1; EP1448407A1; HUP0401988A2; NO20042574L; CN1558841A; CA2465368A1; CA2465368C; CN100465032C; AU2002224858A1; DE50114979D1; ES2327713T3; SK287387B6; KR20040062634A; HUP0401988A3; CZ299941B6; SK2092004A3; KR100905345B1; PT1448407E; ATE435779T1

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical glare limiter, particularly for motor vehicles, comprising an opto-receiver module (2) and a light source (3) whose luminous radiation can be regulated according to the luminous radiation of a source of glare. The aim of the invention is to obtain an optical glare limiter of the aforementioned type with a relatively large surface that is homogeneously luminous to a considerable extent despite its compact flat dimensions. To this end, a flat optical waveguide (5), which has at least one narrow lateral face (6) and a flat light exit surface (10), is assigned to the light source (3), whereby the light of the light source (3) can be launched via the narrow lateral face (6), and the area of the light exit surface (10) is a multiple of the area of the narrow lateral face used for launching light. Another embodiment of the inventive optical glare limiter is one in which the light source consists of a luminous film that can be excited by electronics in such a manner that the luminous film represents a surface that is, in essence, homogeneously luminous. A further embodiment of the inventive optical glare limiter is one in which the light source consists of organic light-emitting diodes that are mounted on at least one support made of glass or on at least one flexible transparent support made of plastic.

Description

LIMITING OPTIMUM LIMITING DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an optical glare limiter, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising at least one optical receiver module and at least one light source whose luminous radiation can be regulated as a function of the light radiation of a source of external glare. It is known that the ability of the human eye to grasp and perceive with greater or lesser speed the structures of luminosity, color and shape of the environment depends, in addition to its ability to adapt, substantially the luminous density of the radiation reaching the eye and the differences in luminous density in the visual field. In the case of light densities that are too high in the visual field, a substantial impairment of the perception capacity and, consequently, of the visual faculty of the eye is possible. An influence of this kind that dramatically impairs the basic functions of the eye is called glare. It is also known that in the night traffic not a few traffic accidents are due to the omitted or mistaken reactions of the driver of the vehicle under glare of his eyes. In nocturnal travel the ciliary musculature of the eyes is more or less in REF. : 155381 voltage according to the fixed point of observation. The pupil opens in a comparatively wide manner, and the eye adapts to the average luminous density in each case prevailing in the visual field. If the average luminous density varies, for example, due to the light of a vehicle coming in the opposite direction, then the process of adapting one adaptive state to the other requires a certain time that depends on the previous illumination of the eye, the direction of adaptation and the difference of the light densities before and after the adaptation. The greater the difference in luminous density due to the light coming from vehicles coming in the opposite direction, the more the retina becomes irritated, the requirements with respect to the speed of the adaptation of light and dark, and the scattered light increasing. occurs inside the eye leads to a veil on the retina and, finally, to a diminished visual faculty. The consequences are, among others, that vehicles coming in the opposite direction are often only recognized inaccurately or too late and errors are made when estimating distances, and due to this, inappropriate reactions of the vehicle driver are unleashed. The increasing proportion of xenon-based beacons in motor vehicles further increases these hazards emanating from the damaging effects of the higher luminous intensity of this type of lamp compared to that of conventional halogen lamps. Research indicates that test persons of all age groups feel fundamentally disturbed by xenon light, regardless of the measurable impairments of the visual faculty. First of all, older people could no longer discern certain contrasts with xenon backlight (Der Spiegel magazine, 7/1998, pages 168 et seq.). An optical glare limiter of the type under consideration is known from DE 199 41 125 Al of the Applicant. The glare limiter consists of an optical receiver module and a light source, being that the light radiation of the light source is adjustable by means of an electronic control as a function of the intensity of the luminous radiation of a source of external glare that impinges on the optical receiver module, so that the glare effect of the light radiation in the visual field is reduced. The light source is provided with a reflector and a prism, and is arranged together with the optical receiver module in a housing that is preferably arranged swingarm or hinged on or in the sun visor of the motor vehicle. The prism is made, for example, as a longitudinal prism with prisms shaped in the shape of saw teeth and arranged in opposite directions, whereby the prisms deflect the light radiation from the light source into two luminous fluxes. Additionally it is possible to provide in the prism a diffuser in the shape of an opaline plate. A commercially available glass lamp with lampholder is used as the light source. However, it is also possible to use light-emitting diodes as a light source. The principle of this known optical glare limiter is fundamentally favorable. However, it has been shown that this glare limiter has a relatively voluminous structure if it should have a relatively large surface area of diffuse luminosity to reduce the glare effect. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is the problem of creating an improved glare limiter which can be made relatively flat and yet has a largely homogeneous and relatively large brightness surface. According to the invention this problem is solved in a glare limiter of the type under consideration in that a flat optical waveguide comprising at least one narrow side face and an output surface of the light source is associated with the light source. flat light, where the light from the light source is coupled through the narrow side face and the surface area of the light output amounts to a multiple of the area of the narrow side face which serves to couple the light, and wherein the optical waveguide comprises on its side opposite to the light output surface a coating and / or reflective stamp whose layer thickness is configured with different thickness and increases with increasing distance to the light source, or it is constituted by a plurality of individual color and / or image elements which are arranged with different density, so that the density increases with the increase of the distance to the light source. The optical glare limiter according to the invention can be realized with a very flat shape, being that despite its relatively small construction volume - it is distinguished by a surface of relatively large homogeneous diffuse luminosity. A preferred refinement of the glare limiter according to the invention is characterized in that the light source consists of light-emitting diodes arranged in series. By this a relatively uniform light coupling is obtained in the plane optical waveguide and, consequently, a largely homogenous light radiation of the glare limiter. Another preferred embodiment of the glare limiter according to the invention is that the light source additionally comprises light-emitting diodes emitting radiation in the UV-A spectrum. Tests have shown that radiation in the UV-A spectrum counteracts a tiredness of the test persons. Through the use of UV-A diodes as a complement to conventional LEDs, it is therefore possible to extend the driving time without fatigue of a vehicle driver. According to another favorable refinement, the glare limiter according to the invention can comprise several light sources and several optical receiver modules spaced apart from one another, the optical receiver modules being connected to a control device by means of which regulate the light radiation of the respective light source as a function of the light radiation of at least one glare source and at least one other light source so that the glare limiter shines on its light output surface with areas of different clarity , so that one area that is close to the other source of light shines less clearly than an area that is furthest away from the other source of light. This configuration allows the adjustment of zones of different light radiation or clarity in the light output surface of the glare limiter with respect to other light sources such as, for example, interior lamps of the vehicle, so that in the visual field of the driver of the vehicle a homogeneous illumination is ensured all the time in total. The intensities of the light radiation starting from a source of external glare and from a light source placed inside the vehicle, for example a reading lamp, are captured by the minimum of two optical receiver modules and the output signals of the optical receiver modules are evaluated by the control device. The light source and the narrow side face of the optical waveguide serving to couple the light are arranged in relation to a person who must be protected from the dazzling effect preferably so that the radiation direction of the light which is coupled to the driver of optical waves moves away from the visual field of the person to be protected from the dazzling effect. By this a glare of the person is excluded by the light source of the glare limiter itself. The flat optical waveguide may be constituted by a massive optical waveguide body or alternatively comprises a hollow optical waveguide space which is limited by a transparent plate to light and a plate opaque to light. The problem on which the invention is based can also be solved by the fact that the light source is formed by a luminous sheet that can be excited by an electronic device so that the luminous sheet constitutes a surface of substantially homogeneous luminosity. Another solution to the problem on which the invention is based consists in that the light source is constituted by organic light-emitting diodes (so-called OLED's), which only apply on at least one glass support or at least one transparent, flexible plastic support. Other preferred and favorable refinements of the glare limiter according to the invention are indicated in the dependent claims. . In the following the invention is explained in more detail on the basis of a drawing representing several embodiments. They show in schematic representation: FIG. 1 a cross-sectional view on an optical glare limiter with a flat optical waveguide in accordance with a first embodiment, FIG. 2 a perspective view on the glare limiter in accordance with FIG. Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a top plan view on a longitudinal section through the glare limiter according to Fig. 1 in the interior region of the flat optical waveguide, Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view on an optical glare limiter consisting of two parts, with two flat optical waveguides in accordance with a second embodiment, FIG. 5 a perspective view on the glare limiter according to Fig. 4, Fig. 6 a cross-sectional view on an optical glare limiter with a flat optical waveguide in accordance with a third FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view on an optical glare limiter with a luminous sheet as a light source, in accordance with a fourth embodiment, FIG. 8 a cross-sectional view on a glare limiter optical device consisting of two parts, with two luminous blades in accordance with a fifth embodiment, and Fig. 9 a perspective view on the glare limiter according to Fig. 8. The optical glare limiter shown in FIG. Figures 1 to 3 comprise a housing 1 which is preferably configured as a sun visor for mounting in a motor vehicle. The housing or the parasol 1 comprises on its front longitudinal surface an optical receiver module 2 which in the operating state of the glare limiter is oriented towards the windshield of the motor vehicle. A photodiode is used as the optical receiver module. Neverthelessalternatively it is also possible to use phototransistors, photoresistors, optical wave / frequency transducers, optical / voltage wave transducers, fluorescence collectors or solar cell power strips. In the housing 1 there is further provided a light source 3 in which a reflector 4 is provided. A flat optical waveguide 5 in the form of a plate to which the light of the source is coupled is associated with the light source 3. of light through a narrow side face or respectively cut edge 6. The reflector 4 deflects the light emitted by the light source 3 onto the side face 6. The light source 3 and the side face 6 of the optical waveguide 5 are arranged in relation to a person who must be protected from the dazzling effect so that the direction of the light radiation which is coupled to the optical waveguide 5 moves away of the visual field of the person who should be protected against the effect of glare. On the side face 7 opposite the light source 3 there is provided a reflective layer, for example, a mirror surface. In the same way, also on the side faces designated with 8 of the plane optical waveguide 5, a reflective layer is preferably provided. The internal surface 9 of the optical waveguide 5 is shown in FIG. 3. A mirror surface or other reflective surface is also provided in this, as shown in the right half of FIG. 3 by shading. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a reflective engraving on the inner surface 9 of the optical waveguide 5, as schematically illustrated in the left half of FIG. 3. The reflector print consisting, for example, of fluorescent colored material has a layer thickness of different thickness, the thickness of the layer increasing as the distance of the light source 3 increases. Alternatively, the engraving can also be made up of colored elements, for example, dots, stripes, or other small elements. of regular and / or irregular contour, where the color elements are arranged with different density, specifically in such a way that the density progressively increases with increasing distance of the light source 3. This is illustrated schematically by increasing the density of points in the direction of the optical receiver module 2. The external surface of the optical waveguide 5 constitutes the light output surface 10 from which the light coupled to the optical waveguide 5 is emitted in the direction of the visual field of a person who must be protected from a dazzling effect. The surface area of the light output surface 10 is a multiple of the surface area of the side face 6. The plate-shaped optical wave conductor 5 is of massive configuration in the illustrated embodiment, and is made of glass or a transparent plastic, for example, acrylic glass. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the light source 3 consists of several light-emitting diodes 11 arranged in series. The light-emitting diodes 11 therefore constitute a strip of light-emitting diodes. The number and the distance one of the other light-emitting diodes 11 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Rather, the number of light-emitting diodes used can also be greater and the distance between them smaller. The glare limiter, in addition to conventional light-emitting diodes, can also comprise light-emitting diodes that emit radiation in the UV-A spectrum. It is also possible to associate to the plate-shaped optical waveguide 5 two light-emitting diode strips when the transverse side faces or the opposite transverse edges 8 of the optical waveguide 5 are used as light-coupling points. The glare limiter further comprises an electronic control (not shown), which serves so that the light radiation of the light source is regulated as a function of the light radiation of a source of external glare captured by the optical receiver module 2. As soon as the dazzling light of a vehicle coming in the opposite ction reaches the optical receiver module 2, the light source 3 of the glare limiter becomes lighter or darker depending on the luminous density thereof, so that by this the difference in luminous density between the light of the vehicle coming in the opposite ction and the average light density hitherto existing in the visual field of the driver of the vehicle decreases. The glare limiter, or its electronic control, is provided with an optical detector (not shown) that detects the clarity of the surrounding light. The output signal of this optical detector is evaluated in the electronic control. When falling below a predetermined brightness value, for example, during the sunset, the light source of the glare limiter is automatically connected by the electronic control with a predetermined background clarity. By means of a switch (not shown) it is possible to vary the background clarity of the light source 3 by selecting another connection interval, independently of the waiting position. Accordingly, it is possible to manually adjust the background clarity of the surface 10 of the light output in the visual field of the vehicle driver according to the individual optical perception capability. The power supply of the glare limiter takes place with the on-board voltage of the motor vehicle. In figures 4 and 5 a second embodiment of the optical glare limiter according to the invention is shown. This embodiment differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 in that there are now two light sources or respectively light-emitting diodes 3, 3 a to which an optical wave conductor 5, 5 a is associated in each case plane to which the light of the light source 3, 3a of light is associated in each associated case through a narrow side face 6, 6a, and which in each case comprises a flat light output surface 10, 10a whose surface area it again constitutes a multiple of the surface area of the narrow side face 6, 6a which serves for the introduction of the light. Both flat optical waveguides 5, 5a are fixed together with their light sources 3, 3a associated in each case to a support or housing 1, the. Both housings 1, are connected swingarms relative to each other on their longitudinal sides. Therefore, the glare limiter according to Fig. 4 has in total a larger light output surface compared to the glare limiter according to Fig. 1. In this embodiment a module 2a is provided. optical receiver in a recess in the rear side or respectively underside of the housing the swingarm of the glare limiter. The tilting part of the glare limiter is smaller than the fixed part 1. The part of the swingarm can be folded under the larger fixed part 1, as indicated in Fig. 4 by dashed lines. In the refractory state (represented by stripes), the light output surfaces 10, 10a face each other tightly. Another embodiment of the glare limiter according to the invention is shown in FIG. 6. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in that the flat optical waveguide is not configured as a massive body but comprising a hollow space 12 conducting optical waves which is limited by a transparent plate 13 and an opaque plate 14. Both plates 13, 14 which are substantially arranged mutually parallel can each be made of transparent plastic, wherein a reflector coating and / or engraving is provided on the plate 14 disposed on the inner side of the glare limiter. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 differs from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in that the light source 3 is constituted by a luminous sheet which is excited by an electronic device E of an apparatus of control so that the luminous sheet 15 constitutes a surface of substantially homogeneous luminosity. The luminous sheet 15 extends substantially over the entire underside of the housing 1 of the glare limiter. The luminous sheet 15 is electrically activated and produces a homogeneous luminous force on its entire surface. The luminous sheet 15 is operated by the electronics of the control apparatus with an alternating current at a frequency of up to 1 KHz. The electronic device E comprises a transformer that serves as a serial device. The glare limiters shown in Figures 6 and 7 can be made in two parts as well as the glare limiter according to Fig. 4, in order to obtain an enlargement of the light output surface. This is exemplified in FIGS. 8 and 9 with respect to the embodiment according to FIG. 7. It can be seen that there are two luminous blades 15, 15a which are fixed in each case to a support or housing 1, the, and that both housings 1, the again are connected swinging with each other so that they can swing. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Rather, several variants are conceivable, which even in the case of a fundamentally different configuration use the idea of the invention reproduced in the claims. Thus, for example, it is also possible to form the light source 3 of the glare limiter of organic light-emitting diodes, which are applied on at least one glass support or at least one transparent support of flexible plastic. In addition, the glare limiter according to the invention can also comprise several light sources 3 which are controlled independently of each other and several optical receiver modules 2 spaced apart from one another, the optical receiver modules 2 being connected to a light-emitting device. control by means of which it is possible to regulate the light radiation of the respective light source 3 as a function of the light radiation of at least one glare source and of at least one other light source (for example, a reading lamp inside the vehicle), so that the glare limiter is illuminated at its light-emitting surface 10 with areas of different clarity, so that one area that is close to the other light source is illuminated less clearly than an area that It is located at a greater distance from the other source of light. In this way it is possible to obtain a balanced illumination of the visual field of a person who must be protected from a dazzling effect, so that both eyes of the person to be protected perceive a luminous radiation with an approximately equal luminous density. In FIG. 3, striped lines indicate the use of several light sources 3a, 3b which are controlled independently of one another as well as several optical receiver modules 2a, 2b spaced apart from one another. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. Optical glare limiter, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising at least one optical receiver module and at least one light source whose luminous radiation it can be adjusted as a function of the light radiation of a glare source, characterized in that a flat optical waveguide comprising at least one narrow side face and a flat light output surface is associated with the light source. light from the light source is coupled across the narrow side face and the surface area of the light output surface constitutes a multiple of the surface area of the narrow side face which serves to couple the light, and the optical waveguide comprises on its side opposite the light output surface a coating and / or reflective stamping whose thickness d The layer is configured with different thickness and becomes progressively thicker as the distance of the light source increases, or is constituted by a plurality of individual color and / or image elements that are arranged with different density, so that the density increases progressively as the distance of the light source increases.
2. Optical glare limiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical waveguide comprises a reflective side face that is opposite the narrow side face which serves to couple the light. Optical glare limiter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, with the exception of the narrow side face serving to couple the light, all the narrow side faces of the optical waveguide have a reflective coating. Optical glare limiter according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a reflector is provided in the light source, which deflects the light emitted by the light source to the narrow side face of the optical waveguide that serves to attach the light. Optical glare limiter according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the light source is constituted by light-emitting diodes arranged in series. Optical glare limiter according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the light source comprises light emitting diodes emitting UV-A radiation. Optical glare limiter according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the light source and the narrow side face of the optical waveguide used to couple the light are arranged in relation to the person to be illuminated. protect against a dazzling effect so that the radiation direction of the Igue light is coupled to the optical waveguide is far from the visual field of the person to be protected from the dazzling effect. Optical glare limiter according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the optical waveguide is constituted by a massive optical waveguide body 9. Optical glare limiter according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the optical waveguide comprises a hollow optical wave conductor space which is limited by a transparent plate and an opaque plate. 10. Optical dazzle limiter, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising at least one optical receiver module and at the same time a light source whose light radiation can be re-regulated as a function of the light radiation of a dazzle source, characterized in that The light source is formed by a luminous sheet that is excited by an electronic device so that the luminous leaf constitutes a surface of substantially homogeneous luminosity. glare is illuminated with zones of different clarity in its light output surface, so that an area that is near the other source "of light illuminates less clearly than an area that is further away from the other source of light. wherein the light source consists of organic light emitting diodes which are mounted on at least one support made of glass or on the merle a flexible transparent support made of plastic. I